Apprentice Of The Toad Sage
by ObsidiansTwilight
Summary: What if Naruto in the days leading up to the finals had decided to attempt Sage Mode. What if something wrong had occured resulting in a tidal wave of events. What if Jiraiya had made him not only his student but also his apprentice. a naruto fic unlike


Disclaimer

If I got money for this would I be in the marines?

Naruto panted heavily as he performed the same sequence of hand seals for what seemed like the thousandth time that day.

Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey.

His fingers blurred in the complicated pattern as the young blonde pumped tremendous amounts of chakra into the jutsu.

"Alright this time I'm gonna do it!" Naruto yelled to the heavens as his fingers stopped their movements and landed on one last seal.

Ram.

Overflowing with confidence he slammed his right hand on the ground, "Summoning Jutsu"!

Naruto smile slipped when the accompanying cloud of smoke revealed a small red and blue tadpole.

'Damn,' he thought sourly nudging the floundering tadpole with his foot, 'I just knew that was it this time.'

Naruto wearily placed his hands on his hips and gazed at his surroundings. He stood in one of the larger Training Grounds owned by Konoha, a large meadow, and acres long that ended abruptly at a deep chasm. Vast and foreboding the chasm was a dark contrast to the beauty of the training ground.

A half mile away from Konoha, the meadow flowed with an abundance of assorted flowers and trees that gave off a sweet pungent fragrance.

'Not unlike the new ramen Ichiraku tried to get me to eat', Naruto thought sourly. 'Ugh, health food, disgusting.' He refuses to understand why he needed to eat that 'rabbit food'. Good old fashion Miso Ramen was healthy enough. The orange-clad Gennin grimaced at the thought of roots and grass defiling something as sacred as ramen.

The shadows from the trees were starting to get longer and Naruto suddenly realize that it was already midday. He had been going strong since dawn and yet he still hadn't made any progress with the summoning jutsu.

He gave an angry look directed at his sensei, who was instead of helping his awesome, bad-ass, future Hokage and soon to be Chunin learn a powerful new jutsu. He was currently giggling and writing furiously as he stared off across the meadow.

"What The hell is he looking at?"

The blonde shook his head sadly at his Sensei; the old man had finally lost it. Pervy Sage has been writing in his little book and looking at nothing the whole morning.

"Crazy old perv," Naruto muttered.

Naruto watched the tadpole flop around for a few moments and gave a defeated sigh at the unfairness of the Jutsu. He had literally done the summoning jutsu hundreds of times and yet only about half the time could he summon anything. What he summoned was as useless as carrot flavored ramen.

The tadpole jumped and landed on Naruto's shoe as if taunting him before it ran out of chakra, disappearing in a sudden puff of smoke.

Falling back into the plush grass, the blonde Genin let his tired muscles rest and his mind wander. It's only been a week since his preliminary match against Kiba and his oath to Hinata to kick Neji's ass. In that time he has learned to water walk and summon toads.

'Well almost summon toads' the Gennin mused. He knew his chakra control was beyond horrible. The mission to wave had taught him how much he still needed to know.

Maybe he wasn't the sharpest kunai in the holster, and after the week long pounding Jiraiya dished on him, which was made glaringly obvious as the Sannin systematically, picked apart his meager Jutsus and nonexistent Taijutsu.

On his first day with his sensei, Jiraiya completely destroyed him, the old man quickly made it clear that he was the Master and Naruto the student. The difference in their abilities could only be compared to a mouse trying to attack a dragon.

Although a very cool, kick-ass, orange wearing super mouse. "A mouse fated to be Hokage", he whispered, thinking back to that day.

His blonde locks hung languidly across his eyes, casting his vision in a golden haze. 'One day I'll be greater than the Yellow Flash. I'll become the most powerful Hokage ever.' He remembered his first sparring session with the Sannin.

"Almost strong enough to fight my blind one arm Grandma," Jiraiya had said with a serious face, blocking Naruto's overhand jab with one finger, as Naruto gave a disbelieving look, "Just to let you know," Jiraiya replied with a wink, "that my grandmother been dead for seventy years." Then he proceeded to howl with laughter, as Naruto angrily retaliated with a kick to Jiraiya sternum.

The old man didn't even bother to block the kick, letting the kick catch him on the side. Jiraiya, seeing the Naruto's foot coming a mile away didn't even budge, the attack only causing him to laugh harder. Getting pissed and hating to be underestimated the blonde unleashed his strongest attack.

"Mass Shadow Clone Justsu"!

Hundreds of clones leaped forth from clouds of smoke, a barrage of Narutos descending on the Sannin.

Jiraiya wiping a tear from his eye shook his head, "Spamming out clones will do nothing Naruto if you lack the skill to use them", Jiraiya said with an almost demonic grin, "a thousand times zero is still zero." And in an amazing display of speed the Sannin destroyed his clones so quickly it seemed they all disappeared in one burst of smoke.

Naruto stood stunned; it hadn't seemed as if Jiraiya had moved at all. One moment he was surrounded by a sea of orange and yellow the next a large cloud of smoke.

The old man stood standing there, a smug look plastered across his face. "Did you forget Gaki, I was the one who taught the Fourth" Jiraiya said nonchalantly loving the stupefied look on his student's face.

'Yup, life doesn't get much better than this, I love breaking in new Gennin.' The Sannin chuckled to himself, that was the same look Minato had given him when he as a Gennin. The look of someone who realized just how much farther they had to go in the world of Shinobi.

Thinking back to that first day of training made him realize just how much stronger he had to become. The noon sun hid behind a loose mass of clouds, casting the land in golden pillars of light. Naruto's eye was caught by a lotus flower, basking in the ambience of the summer sun.

Like that flower he stood alone, despised by his village. He may be hated and even feared by the villagers, yet like the flower before him, and the villagers that hated him, he will protect them all.

"I will not become Hokage so I can be acknowledged," he said out loud, the blonde's hand hovering protecting over the illuminated flower. "I will be acknowledged so I can become Hokage."

Naruto stood up quickly, his face set in grim determination. If he was going to get stronger and defeat Neji he couldn't be laying on his ass.

"Alright, this time I'm gonna do it," the leaf shinobi repeated for the thousandth time that day. Fire coursing thru his veins. Naruto grin threatened to split his face when with a cry he slammed his hand on the ground. Hokage here I come.

"SUMMONING JUSTSU!"

Jiraiya looked up from his writing, watching his young student expectantly. Although the Sannin was neither chakra sensitive nor a sensory type Nin, being a seals expert gave him certain advantages. Being a level Eight Seals Master, when in the proximity of an active sealing he was able to discern the amount charka output.

Thus as Naruto poured insane amounts of chakra into the jutsu, even if it was overkill, he was reasonably sure that quaintly wasn't his problem. The boy's seal execution was flawless, and his hand speed was by far better than most Gennin.

Jiraiya sighed inwardly as he watched his student fail and summon another tadpole. Cursing, the blonde angrily kick the prepubescent toad as it disappeared in a burst of smoke.

Resisting the urge to groan, he grabbed his pen and scrolls, placing it on the inside of his robes. The Toad Sennin gave one last lecherous grin in the direction of Konoha, cycling just enough chakra in his eyes to give him a view of the women's bathhouse. A very tricky bit of internal chakra manipulation. He rubbed his hands together perversely; his new Icha Icha installment will be his best one yet.

Another cry of the summoning jutsu brought his mind back to his hopeless student. He had been testing the boy for a full week, finding out all his skills and techniques. That is to say, lack of techniques.

To be fair, he could be much worse, and in twenty days he might have a chance against the Hyuga prodigy. Although a very small chance. Very slim. Almost nonexistent chance.

Jiraiya sat himself underneath a Sakura trees, it was time to speak to his wayward student. The boy was thick, infuriating so. Being an offspring of Minato and Kushina, you would think he would be a prodigy of prodigy. At times when speaking to the kid Jiraiya felt like some of his brain cells would commit suicide, jumping out his ear and falling to their death.

Watching the blonde tirelessly go throughout the sealing over and over again Jiraiya was reasonably sure he knew what the problem was. Standing up the Sannin made his way over to his exhausted gennin.

"Hey Gaki!" Naruto looked up irritably as his sensei came into his field of vision.

"What is it, Pervy Sage?" Naruto stood up from his crouching position, mentally and physically tired.

Jiraiya looked down tersely at the blonde shinobi and calmly smacked him upside the head. "Look here Gaki, how many times did I tell you not to call me that."

Naruto rubbing the back of his head gave his most dazzling smile. "I'll stop just as soon as you stop being a pervert, p-e-r-v-y sage," Naruto said. "Just go back to your tree."

Jiraiya raised his hand and scratched his mane of white hair thoughtfully, "O well I just thought you wanted to learn the summoning jutsu," Jiraiya turned as if to walk away. "Considering I am one of the Sannin I might have a trick to help you get it down."

His sensei started making his way back to his tree, "But if you don't need my help I'm sure you would get the hang of it...eventually."

Naruto quickly sprinted in front of Jiraiya; the old man couldn't take a joke. "Aww come 'on Jiraiya...sen...sen...sensei," he managed to say. "Please help me to become stronger."

Jiraiya was struck with a profound sense of nostalgia as he heard those six simple words. Remembering another kage bound blonde he placed his hand on Naruto's head, just as he did all those years ago.

"Alright boy, I'll help you," echoing the same words that he once said to Minato. Jiraiya sat in the long plush grass, motioning for Naruto to do the same.

The elder leaf shinobi sat quietly for a moment collecting his thoughts. "Ok Naruto do you want to know what your problem is?" Jiraiya said placing both hands on his knees.

Naruto looked at Jiraiya expectantly; ready to receive his sensei words of wisdom. "Yes sensei." He said eagerly

Jiraiya leaned forward slowly, his expression the most serious Naruto ever seen. "The problem is," the Sannin said evenly as Naruto hung on every word. "Is that you suck."

Naruto nearly face planted in shock. "What the hell, pervy sage!" He yelled pointing his finger at the Jonin. "I do not suck. You don't teach me anything. I'm the next Hokage, believe it"

"Naruto shut up," Jiraiya said clearly crossed. Now was not the time for the boy's idiocy to show. The blonde's mouth closed with an audible click as he was glared down by his sensei.

"Now Gaki," Naruto gave a start at the name, but wisely kept his mouth shut. "Like I said you're stupid, really stupid. You probably don't even realize how stupid you are, which all the more makes you even more stupid."

Naruto would have jumped up and verbally blasted the shaggy mane old perv except for the serious glint in his teacher's eyes.

"Although," Jiraiya continued, "you're never give up attitude, a true will of fire, with that anything is possible." Naruto didn't know whether to be insulted or praised, so he choose the latter and gave Jiraiya his trademark foxy grin.

"Now in three weeks you fight Neji, and I can say truthfully as of right now if you two were to fight... Well let's just say we have a lot of work to do." Jiraiya leaned forward inches away from Naruto's face and held up three fingers.

"We have to work on three things to get you ready for the fight," Naruto looked on eagerly ready to learn. "Number one, your chakra control, honestly boy fresh academy students have better control then you."

Naruto scowled at his sensei and mutter something unintelligible. 'My controls not that bad' he thought sullenly.

"Secondly," Jiraiya continued holding up two fingers, ignoring the look on Naruto's face, "Your Taijutsu-"

Naruto jumped up in indignation, "Hey pervy sage my Tai-"

Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence as the aforementioned sage slapped him back towards the ground. "You have no Taijutsu, baka. Just throwing punches and hoping they will hit will not cut it in the Shinobi world." Jiraiya sat back down, shaking his head at the boy's stupidness.

'Damn,' Naruto thought, rubbing the growing bump on the side of his head, 'The old bastard hits hard'

Jiraiya pinched the bridged of nose in irritation, "You need actual formal training otherwise a Taijutsu expert like the Hyuga kid will eat you alive." Jiraiya sat back on his haunches surveying his disillusioned pupil, his short physique will not give him any advantages against his older and stronger opponent.

"And lastly," Jiraiya said holding up one finger, "Chakra control again, we're going to work on control till you puke and then work on it some more."

"What!" Naruto yelled, "That's all, what about Ninjutsu or Kenjutsu, yea gimmie a kick ass sword. I wanna have a huge blade like Zabuza did, that will be sweet! I know I could swing that monster. Or sealing, nobody does sealing. I'll be a sealing master I bet I could seal that stick up Sasuke as-"

"Tsunade tits Naruto!" A pulsating vein appeared on Jiraiya head, "Shut up or I'll feed you to my toads!" The blonde's mouth hung agape, closing it slowly Naruto sat back down.

"Now," Jiraiya said pointedly, "We have three weeks to get you into fighting shape, do you think you can handle that."

Naruto looked down in shame, not trusting himself to speak so he just nodded his head in supplication.

"Ok," Jiraiya said clapping his hands together, "Now on to the fun part."

"Dammit Jiraiya, this is boring."

Naruto was currently seated cross legged his hands in the ram seal. Trying to connect with his chakra and doing a horrible job at it. Sitting still for any length of time was not his favorite activity.

"Just keep at it," Jiraiya yelled from his tree, "Connecting to your chakra takes time, calm your breathing, shut up and meditate."

The old Sage tapped his foot thoughtfully, "You should look deep within yourself, find your center and reach for your chakra, and don't fall asleep!"

Naruto ignoring the jab concentrated on his task. Grasping his chakra is an academy level technique, one that he never really bothered to learn. Who needs chakra control anyway, because of the fox he has more than enough to spare. Calming himself Naruto gave a deep inaudible sigh and tried to find his center.

The sun was setting, concluding the end of the day's training. Jiraiya looked over at Naruto's sleeping back. He gave a soft smile at the exhausted child, "I told you not to fall asleep Gaki," he whispered.

Jiraiya searched around for some fire wood, finding a good amount he created a pile. A small Katon jutsu later and he had a crackling roaring fire going. Sitting down he gazed into the flames, his thoughts many. The boy had made almost completely no progress since the week they had been training. He tossed a twig into the fire; it almost seemed as if there was something blocking the boy's potential. Like his growth was stunted, he tossed another twig into the flame, maybe there was a way if only he-

Puff!

Jiraiya train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of a cloud of smoke, small old toad; only about 14 inches stepped into the firelight. One of the smallest toads of Mount Myoboku and also one of the elders Lord Fukasaku gave of an empowered presence contrary to his stature.

"Jiraiya-boy," the toad sennen bowed his head in respect, "what you have feared has come to pass." Fukasaku hopped up till he sat crouched on Jiraiya's knee. "Orochimaru plans to attack Konoha at the Chunnin Exam Finals."

The Sannin punched the ground angrily, the petals from the sakura falling in the flickering firelite like blood kissed raindrops. "Damn, so it was true Orochimaru has finally done the unthinkable. He means to destroy the whole village."

Fukasaku leaped onto Jiraiya's shoulder, "I've notified the Hokage of the situation, I also have infiltration toads inside the enemy's camp to keep us appraised on any details."

Jiraiya nodded his head intently, " Good, I also want you to leave a communication toad with Sensei, and to have the seals ready for a mass summoning on call, just in case he attack earlier than expected."

Fukasaku hopped back to the ground, "Who do you think I am, I've already done all of that my boy. But I'm not here about the upcoming engagement; if I was I could have come in the morning. No, it's been a few years since I evaluated your abilities."

Jiraiya sat up instantly, "What, are you telling me that's it's been ten years already."

The old toad looked at the man sternly, "Yes it has Jiraiya-boy, and like every ten years since you became the Toad Sage I'm always delighted that you remain surprised each and every time this day comes. Why," Fukasaku continued dryly, "if I didn't know any better I'd say you forgot." The old toad pulled out his cane, brandishing it menacingly.

"No, no, no, I'm not surprised, can't you tell this is my happy face," Jiraiya said, his face twisted in an uncomfortable grimace. Fukasaku raised an eyebrow unconvinced. Jiraiya sighed, "Fine let's get this over with."

The old toad gave the Sannin a quick glance, "Jiraiya boy is that toad oil on your belt."

Jiraiya looked at his waist, blushing he grab a small bottle with the kanji for toad oil written on the side. "Ah, I know what you're thinking, it's not for Senjutsu, I need the oil for-"Looking around hastily his eyes landed on his camp fire, "I use it to light fires," he laughed hesitantly, "it burns longer than a Katon jutsu."

Fukasaku slammed his cane into the ground, "enough foolishness let's go!"

Jiraiya tossed the bottle away, "Fine!" The toad sennin positioned himself sitting cross legged; his hands placed together as he closed his eyes and softened his breathing. A few heartbeats later his eyes flashed open in noticeable slits.

"Sage Mode!"

"What the fuc-" Naruto said groggily, something had hit him squarely in the head. Reaching down picked up something small and round, a bottle, someone threw a bottle him. Damn pervy sage and his games, really who wakes someone up by flinging bottles at them?

Rubbing his head the boy felt a weird sensation running down the back of his neck. "The Hell?" Bringing his hand up to his eyes he tasted the strange substance off his finger. Oil; not just a bottle a bottle filled with oil. No telling what a perv like Jiraiya would use it for.

Naruto sat up quickly, his hands rubbing up and down his arms and neck. "Damn it won't come off, where is that pervy?" Looking around the clearing the blonde located Jiraiya underneath a tree, far from the camp fire.

What was he doing, Naruto wondered. Jiraiya was seated with his hands pressed together as if he was trying to connect to his chakra. Yet it seemed as if he was reaching for something outside his body, cool. Suddenly Jiraiya's eyes flew open, Naruto was too far to see it clearly but at this distance he could tell that his sensei eyes where now yellow.

"Sage Mode"

"Whoa, what the heck did he just do," Naruto watched intently as Jiraiya stood up and made his way out the clearing over towards a large boulder. "What the hell is he thinking he's gonna do with that big rock." The boulder, if it could be classified as one, stood as tall sixty feet and almost thirty feet wide. It looked more like a prepubescent mountain than a boulder.

Then without warning the Sannin placed one hand under the boulder, and seemingly with the greatest amount of ease the old man lifted the 'mountain' completely over his head. Jiraiya looked down at something by his foot, saying almost nonchalantly. "See, I still got it you old Toad."

Naruto backed away, almost falling over in shock. His sensei was stronger than he thought. Way stronger. Wow that sage mode is sweet. If he could do that then he could be Chunnin in a heartbeat. Naruto sat down, adrenaline pumping throughout his veins, "I wonder if I could do that." Of course I can, I am Naruto Uzimaki, future Hokage of Konoha.

Sitting as Jiraiya had and placing his hand in the exact position Naruto closed his eyes. Ok now what did pervy sage do. He didn't reach inside for his chakra, no he reached outside. Damn this is hard, where did the old man get the extra chakra, only thing around here was grass and trees. Could he have gotten the charka from nature?

No that was stupid; nature doesn't have chakra, does it? Not seeing any other option Naruto reached out his senses toward nature. After five minutes he almost gave up until he felt a slight tickle at the base of his mind. Reaching out closer to it, in the darkest part of Naruto's mind he saw a thin film of silvery light. Stretching out his hand he grasp hold of it, warm, and vibrant he started to pull the light towards him, the string of light growing thicker with every inch.

The Fox's cage suddenly loomed up behind him, the demon locked behind it growling in unrestrained fury, "**Puny mortal, let go of that. You will destroy yourself and I will rip your soul to pieces when it gets to hell!"**

Naruto ignoring the beast continued to pull.

The Fox thru itself against the cage, rattling the bars, "**What did I say runt, stop what you are doing." **The fox angry snarls and roars echoed throughout Naruto's mind. "**I'll eat your children's heart, your children's children heart. I'll raze your precious village to the ground and make you watch as gorge their entrails." **Refusing to look at the beast who gave him nothing but heartache he continued to pull.

**"Naruto,"** the fox said in an eerily sickly sweet voice, **"Power, I'll give you power beyond your most wonderful dreams. I can give you the power to do anything. Just heed me and set that down. You want to be Hokage right; I can make that happen easily."**

He stopped pulling, the beam of light almost as thick as his arm. Turning he looked at the Nine Tails Demon Fox for the first time since the mission to wave. "Can you bring back my parents?" The demon fox answer was only a low smoldering growl.

"No, then burn in hell," with that Naruto gave a sharp tug on the beam of light. There was a searing bright flash of light following by a thundering pain that ripped thru his skull. The pain was so intense that the resulting screams from Naruto's mouth exceeded the confines of his mind out into the range of reality. Liquid fire poured into his brain as his screams joined with the wails of the demon fox, darkness enveloped his mind and he knew no more.

The demon raged in this cage as his body started to turn to stone. His arms and feet grew large fins as his body transformed its self into a stone casting. Gills sprung upon the fox's neck as its once plush crimson fur morphed into a thick leathery magenta hide. The fox turned toad shrieked in untold horror as its body then its head was incased in stoned, its voiced finally silence in the confined space of one Naruto Uzimaki.

"Your Frog Katas is a little rusty Jiraiya-boy," Fukasaku said as he dodge a kick, leaping high over Jiraiya's leg and landing nimbly on his head.

"Well what do you expect, there has been no need to use this much power in a regular fight," the sannin grumbled out.

Fukasaku was about to retort when he was interrupted by a loud scream coming from camp.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya yelled, rushing off in a burst of speed. He didn't understand, with his Sage Mode activated no one within two miles could get close without him notice it. Coming into the clearing he saw Naruto on the ground convulsing, was he poisoned. Impossible, not with the fox in his gut.

Rushing to his side Jiraiya placed a hand on his chest, running a quick diagnostic jutsu. It came up negative, it showed nothing was wrong. He ran his hand thru his hair flabbergasted, what the hell was wrong with him.

Fukasaku hopped up beside him, gasping for air, "I'm getting too old for this," the old toad looked down at the withering preteen and gasped. "Jiraiya-boy look at his hands."

Jiraiya looked and almost passed out in shock, where his hands should be, where theirs supposed to be fingers and nails. Naruto had webbed fins and gills. That was impossible unless-

Fukasaku without a second thought raised his cane and smacked it cleanly across Naruto's head. Naruto body soon stopped its convulsing and reverted slowly back to normal.

Jiraiya looked at Fukasaku in gratitude, "How the hell did he learn how to use Senjutsu,"

The old toad licked Naruto's face delicately, "Toad Oil, he's soaked in it"

Jiraiya looked down and saw the empty bottle, "Oh shit," he cursed violently

Fukasaku had a sudden disturbing thought, "Jiraiya-boy, check the seal."

Alarmed the Sannin ripped open Naruto's shirt, 'I'll buy him another one later' and glared critically at the boy's stomach. Running chakra into his hand he passed it over the boys' abdomen. Fukasaku watched Jiraiya's expressions as it changed from worrying to panic to outright fear.

Jiraiya snatched his hand away as if he had been burned, the fear on his face an unseen sight to the aging toad. "Jiraiya my boy," Fukasaku said gently, "what is it"

The Shinobi of the leaf looked at his old sensei, shaking his head as if he can't believe what he is about to say.

"The fox- is- is…

"Is what?" the toad coaxed.

"The Nine Tailed Demon Fox is dead."

Author's notes

I'd like to welcome you all to my first ever Naruto story, I have some major plans for this puppy so I hope everyone will stay with me for the ride. I'm very, very new to writing so please if you have any tips or suggestions please review

Also check out my other new story, Scion of The House of El

O and if any caught the fact that they used toad oil outside the mount, I know they don't but hey its fan-fiction right,

Anyway please review

ObsidianTwilight


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